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EP-4690380-B1 - SEALING ELEMENT, HOUSING AND CONNECTOR

EP4690380B1EP 4690380 B1EP4690380 B1EP 4690380B1EP-4690380-B1

Inventors

  • Hohenadl, Florian
  • Endlmaier, Michael

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240322

Claims (15)

  1. Housing sealing element (15) for a housing assembly (2) of a plug connector (1), which forms a central opening (19) and has a peripherally completely closed extent, wherein the housing sealing element (15) is formed as angled such that a first section (20) of the housing sealing element (15) and of the central opening (19) extends within a first plane (E 1 ) and a second section (21) of the housing sealing element (15) and of the central opening (19) extends within a second plane (E 2 ), characterized in that a transition region (22) with a curved course in order to allow a transition between the different orientations of the sections (20, 21) which is gentle on the materials, is provided between the first section (20) and the second section (21) of the housing sealing element (15).
  2. Housing sealing element (15) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the housing sealing element (15) is designed as a single piece.
  3. Housing sealing element (15) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first plane (E 1 ) and the second plane (E 2 ) are arranged at an angle of between 45° and 90° to each other, in particular orthogonally or at least substantially orthogonally to each other.
  4. Housing sealing element (15) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first section (20) of the housing sealing element (15) is designed as U-shaped and/or the second section (21) of the housing sealing element (15) is designed as U-shaped.
  5. Housing sealing element (15) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first section (20) is longer than the second section (21).
  6. Housing part (5, 6) of a housing assembly (2), having a housing sealing element (15) according to one of Claims 1 to 5.
  7. Housing part (5, 6) according to Claim 6, characterized in that the housing sealing element (15) is connected captively in the uninstalled state of the housing assembly (2) to the housing part (5, 6), preferably it is connected to the housing part (5, 6) with a material bond, in particular it is injection-moulded into the housing part (5, 6).
  8. Plug connector (1), in particular an electrical plug connector (1), having a housing assembly (2) with at least one first housing part (5) according to one of Claims 6 or 7.
  9. Plug connector (1) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the housing assembly (2) moreover has: - a second housing part (6), wherein the first housing part (5) and the second housing part (6) can be mechanically connected to each other, wherein, in their interconnected state, the housing parts (5, 6) together form a cable bushing (7) through which a cable (3) can be introduced into an interior (8) of the housing assembly (2), wherein the housing parts (5, 6) form respective circumferential sections (U 1 , U 2 ) of the cable bushing (7); - a cable sealing element (12), accommodated in the cable bushing (7), for the cable (3); and - a housing retaining part (23) which encloses at least in some sections the housing parts (5, 6), at least in the region of the cable bushing (7), preferably at least in the region of the cable sealing element (12), in order to fix the housing parts (5, 6) on each other.
  10. Plug connector (1) according to Claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the housing sealing element (15) is designed to ensure a seal between the housing parts (5, 6).
  11. Plug connector (1) according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the cable sealing element (12) is designed as a single piece.
  12. Plug connector (1) according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the cable sealing element (12) and the housing sealing element (15) are formed as a single piece by a common sealing body (16).
  13. Plug connector (1) according to one of Claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the housing sealing element (15) and/or the cable sealing element (12) have one or more, for example two, three, four or more sealing lips.
  14. Plug connector (1) according to one of Claims 8 to 13, characterized in that in their connected state, the housing parts (5, 6) together form a housing assembly (2) for an angled plug connector, wherein at least one of the housing parts (5, 6) is preferably designed as angled.
  15. Plug connector (1) according to one of Claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the first housing part (5) and the second housing part (6) can be latched to each other.

Description

The present application takes the priority of European patent application No. 23 164 081.4 in use. The invention relates to a housing sealing element for a housing assembly of a connector according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a housing part of a housing assembly with a housing sealing element. The invention also relates to a connector, in particular an electrical connector, comprising a housing assembly. Various electrical connectors are known from electrical engineering. Electrical connectors are known to transmit electrical power and/or data signals to corresponding mating connectors. A connector can be a plug, a PCB connector, a panel-mount connector, a socket, a coupler, or an adapter. The term "connector" used within the scope of the invention is representative of all variants. Sometimes, increased requirements are placed on the sealing of connectors, particularly in the automotive industry and vehicles. Electrical connectors with cable sealing elements within the cable entry of the connector housing are generally known. An example of this is... US 10,847,924 B2 referred. It has been shown that the sealing performance of a connector equipped with a cable sealing element can be compromised under certain mechanical stresses, such as lateral tension on the cable. The lateral stress exerted by the cable in the cable entry area can cause the cable sealing element to detach from an inner wall of the connector housing, thereby allowing the ingress of contaminants or liquids. The detachment of the cable sealing element from an inner wall of the connector housing is particularly common in multi-part connector housings. In this case, the cable sealing element is often located between two housing parts that, due to play that is generally always present in practice, exhibit a certain degree of movement relative to each other. Multi-part connector housings or housing assemblies are regularly used with angled connectors. Therefore, providing sufficient sealing for an angled connector that meets all necessary standards and requirements can sometimes be particularly complex. Regarding the technical background, we should also refer to the following: US 10 992 092 B2 referred to, which concerns a connector configured to fit with a second connector and a third connector, and which includes a housing in which terminals are fitted which are configured to be connected to third terminals provided in the third connector, and coupling terminals which can be connected to at least a second terminal provided in the second connector. In view of the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a housing sealing element and a housing part for a housing assembly of a connector which can meet particularly high sealing requirements, preferably with economical manufacturability and easy assembly. The present invention also aims to provide a connector, in particular an electrical connector, which meets particularly high sealing requirements, preferably with economical manufacturability and easy assembly. The problem is solved for the housing sealing element by the features listed in claim 1. With regard to the housing part, the problem is solved by the features of claim 6, and with regard to the connector by claim 8. The dependent claims and the features described below relate to advantageous embodiments and variants of the invention. A housing sealing element according to claim 1 is provided for a housing assembly for a connector, preferably for a housing assembly comprising at least a first housing part and a second housing part that can be mechanically connected to each other. The invention is particularly suitable for use with an electrical connector. However, this is not to be understood as a limitation, as use with an optical connector or any other type of connector is also fundamentally possible. The housing assembly preferably forms the connector housing of the connector and generally has at least one interior space which is at least substantially enclosed by the housing assembly in its assembled state, and in which connector components of the connector can be received and optionally fixed and connected to each other. In addition to the first and second housing parts, the proposed housing assembly may also include further housing parts, for example, a third, a fourth, or even more housing parts. Therefore, the following refers to "the When the term "housing parts" is used, this information refers at least to the first housing part and the second housing part, and possibly also to other housing parts, even if this is not explicitly stated. The first and second housing parts could, for example, be housing parts of an angled connector (at least one of the housing parts can then be designed at an angle - however, this is not absolutely necessary). The second housing part can, for example, form a housing base for the connector, and the first housing part can form a housing cover for th